Every morning across South Africa, approximately 1.6 million young children gather in early learning spaces to explore, learn and discover the world around them. Some are buzzing with curiosity, others are still learning to find their voices, while a few quietly watch and listen. In every child, there’s potential to develop, grow, and thrive. Yet too often, we don’t see it reflected in the system because the data that should capture it is missing or incomplete: how many children and programmes are registered, are children developing the skills they need, where are the gaps in access and quality, and which programmes are delivering real impact?
Globally, there is agreement on the benefits of early childhood education, including poverty alleviation, and a growing consensus that resources should be mobilised based on data. Accurate, accessible information shows what’s working, what’s missing, and where to act next. When decisions and investments in early learning are guided by reliable data, every child has a better chance to thrive.
But why is data and monitoring so critical in early childhood education?
1. Because too many children remain invisible to the early childhood education and care system
Picture a small early learning centre tucked away in a township. The practitioner is passionate but lacks the formal skills needed to teach effectively. The play area is limited, with few age-appropriate resources, and attendance shifts from week to week. There’s no registration, or records are inconsistent, leaving no data trail, and no way for policymakers and funders to know these children even exist.
The ECD Census 2021 counted more than 42,000 early learning programmes in South Africa, reaching around 1.66 million children. Yet it also highlighted major data gaps, from infrastructure and practitioner qualifications to child outcomes. Further analysis found that roughly 42% of these centres are unregistered, excluding them from public funding and support systems. The South African Early Childhood Review 2024 estimates that over 1 million children aged 3–5 years still don’t attend any early learning programme, mostly due to poverty.
Without accurate, up-to-date data, these children remain unseen in planning and budgeting, and when children are invisible to the system, they’re often invisible to opportunity, too.
2. Because access must lead to meaningful development
Enrolling a child in an early learning programme is progress, and the next step is ensuring they thrive and are ready for school.
The latest Thrive by Five Index 2024 offers a sobering view of the early learning landscape. Only 42% of children enrolled in early learning programmes are developmentally on track for their age, while a staggering 82% of those not enrolled are falling behind or far behind. The data also reveal deep inequalities! Children in low-fee centres are far less likely to be on track than their peers in better-resourced areas.
Stunting continues to play a major role, too. Around 7% of enrolled children show signs of moderate or severe stunting, limiting their ability to learn and develop at the same pace as their peers.
These numbers remind us that access does not equal impact. Monitoring and measuring outcomes over time allow us to see whether children are gaining the foundational skills they need. It helps identify where to strengthen teaching support and where resources must be directed.
3. Because quality determines the impact of early learning
South Africa has made real progress in expanding access to early learning, but quality remains uneven. The ECD Census 2021, released by the Department of Basic Education, found that fewer than half of practitioners held a recognised ECD qualification. This means that while more children are entering early learning programmes, not all are benefiting from the kind of teaching that truly supports their development.
The Thrive by Five Index 2024 reinforced this challenge, showing that many children remain developmentally off track despite being enrolled in programmes. Quality is what turns early learning from routine care into meaningful development.
Collecting and analysing data on practitioner qualifications, learning materials, infrastructure, and child-to-practitioner ratios helps identify where the greatest needs lie.
4. Because robust data drives smart investment
Accurate information allows funders, government and private investors to see where resources will make the biggest difference and where interventions and solutions will have the most impact.
Ilifa Labantwana notes, “Without quality data, funding for ECD cannot scale”. They highlight how gaps in administrative data and monitoring make it difficult to allocate budgets or justify scaling programmes that are effective.
The DGMT Learning Brief shows that data-driven decision-making ensures investments reach children who are most at risk of falling behind. Similarly, the Thrive by Five Index 2024 results highlight where funding and support are most urgently needed.
5. Because innovative tools are unlocking insights
South Africa is making promising progress in early learning data innovation. Tools like TeamPact allow practitioners to monitor attendance, staffing, and classroom environments in real time, giving managers actionable insights into programme delivery. The Early Learning Outcomes Measure (ELOM) provides reliable assessments of children’s developmental readiness, measuring language, cognitive, social, and motor skills to help educators and funders see where support is needed. Meanwhile, the Thrive by Five Index continues to track children’s developmental readiness nationally, offering a clear picture of where children are thriving and where gaps remain.
Together with the ECD Census 2021, which provides a comprehensive baseline of centres, practitioners, and enrolment, these tools are transforming disconnected data points into an integrated understanding of early learning quality.
6. Because data drives action and impact
Collecting data is one thing. Using it to drive meaningful change is another. For data to make a real difference, there must be a culture of data use, where everyone involved – from practitioners and policymakers to funders and programme managers – actively interprets the information and applies it to improve outcomes.
This means interpreting what the numbers reveal, recognising which approaches are working and which aren’t, and adjusting interventions and solutions. When we use the data, every number represents a child whose learning journey is being strengthened.
Investing early means recognising and nurturing every child’s potential. With the right data and monitoring, we can see where children thrive, where they struggle, and take action to make every learning moment count. Because when every learner is visible, every opportunity becomes a step toward meaningful growth.
Read more insights here, and get in touch if you have any innovative ideas to address data and monitoring challenges in early learning programmes.
Author: Dimpho Lephaila – Communications Associate at Innovation Edge